U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance is introducing legislation requiring the Trump Administration to enforce the sanctions against Russia.

The Directing Implementation of Sanctions and Accountability for Russian Mischief (DISARM) Act holds Russia accountable for election meddling by enforcing stalled sanctions, according to a news release.

Lance, a Republican representing Congressional District 7 in New Jersey, teamed with Congresswoman Karen Bass, a Democrat representing California, and Congressman Denny Heck, a Democrat representing Washington, who is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, to introduce legislation requiring the Trump Administration to enforce the congressionally mandated sanctions against the Russian government for election meddling.

The DISARM Act will punish the Russian government and eliminate any option the executive branch may exercise to ignore the will of Congress in seeing Russian officials held accountable, according to the release.

Lance, one of the first Republican lawmakers to introduce legislation punishing Russia for election interference, is the first Republican lawmaker backing legislation to ensure that sanctions against Russia are enforced.

Previously, Lance was a co-sponsor the Russia Sanctions Review Act, which would codify sanctions imposed by the Obama Administration and restrict the president’s ability to waive or remove sanctions on Russia.

“Sanctioning Russia is not optional. Russia has intolerably involved itself in our electoral process and the sanctions I championed need to be enforced," Lance said. "There is no moral equivalency between the government of the United States and the government of Russia."

President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany on July 7, 2017.(Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

Lance also said that Russian President "Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime tries to sow discontent" and that the "United States must respond forcefully to Russian interference and this bipartisan legislation ensures that Russia faces severe consequences."

At issue is the Trump Administration’s enforcement of sanctions against Russia. The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (also known as CAATSA), was signed into law by President Trump on Aug. 2, 2017, having passed Congress with the support of Lance and an overwhelming bipartisan majority, according to the release. The legislation targeted officials of the Russian government who took part in foreign interference during the 2016 U.S. elections.

In order to prevent and stop the interference, CAATSA also asked for the executive branch to provide a detailed report from Treasury to determine individuals involved, prevent those individuals from coming to the U.S., and freeze the assets of influencers.

After new reports of the Trump Administration not enforcing the sanctions, Lance wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asking for action, the release said. The DISARM Act makes clear the executive branch must follow the will of Congress and punish the Russian government.

At the past several town halls that Lance has held, some constituents raised concerns with Trump's enforcement of the Russia sanctions and called on Lance to do more.

At the February town hall in Bridgewater, Lance was asked by an Alexandria Township woman if members of the House of Representatives are taking any actions to "protect the integrity of our elections from Russian interference."

Lance responded by saying that he "favors the Russian sanctions, voted for the Russian sanctions and, if we need to make them stronger, I would vote for that."